Loughborough University

Growing vessels from mycelium
 
Surely a material of the moment is mycelium, part of the fungi kingdom, a ubiquitous fast-spreading underground network of threads from which mushrooms grow. It’s already producing materials for packaging, clothing, food and even construction. Initially, to explore mycelium, Georgie made sculptures, each with a different place of inspiration. She grew mycelium in plaster moulds made from clay models. It bound together the different substrates for each sculpture, which references their place of inspiration, including local clays in some cases. Georgie left the packed moulds covered in clingfilm in a greenhouse for at least seven days. Then she removed and baked the results and let them air dry to cure. Colour comes partly from the materials, but also from how the work is “grown” and then cured (dried). Adds Georgie: “Ultimately I have to let the materials speak for themselves.” One of her sculptures has been purchased by her University for display on campus.